Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Encouragement

Encouragement

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua‬ ‭1:9‬

Joshua was appointed by God to lead the people of God into the promise land. Stress and leadership pressures were upon him after Moses died. So God spoke a personal message to him to encourage him how to be a successful, spiritual leader. 

That same message is applicable to us today. God instructs us to be strong and courageous and to meditate on the Word of God. These are key elements to living a successful life under the lordship of Christ. 

The devil knows the power that God’s Word has on your life. Satan will do whatever he needs to do to keep you from experiencing the supernatural power of God. He will distract you, keep you occupied on things that don’t matter, and he will make you stress on things that God has already accomplished. 

The devil has a sneaky way of interfering with our daily walk with Jesus. It happened in the very beginning with Adam and Eve and it still happens today. But we have the mighty power of God to overcome and conquer the evil schemes of our enemy. 

God wants you to be strong and courageous. He wants you to lean towards Him for wisdom and safety. Everything we need is given to us through faith in Him. But it is up to you and I if we rely on Him to see us through. 

Would you rather have the resources from God or would you rather rely on your own human logic and strength? God wants you to trust Him and put your full faith into knowing He is all you need. 

Pray

Lord, I trust You and place my full faith in You because You know all things. I will encourage myself in Your Words and I will enjoy the life you have given to me. 

God’s Will Is Best

Encouragement

But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
‭‭James‬ ‭1:25‬

The reason that Jesus could endure the suffering of the cross was because He knew it was God’s perfect will. He also knew that He would be raised from the dead. He knew He was the saving Grace.

There is perfect peace that comes from being in God’s will and power in knowing that you have eternal life in Heaven.  It is God’s will that everyone know and confess Jesus as Lord. It’s God’s will that everyone’s sins be forgiven.

We may never have all the answers to life’s problems but we do have a cure for our sin problem. It’s Jesus Christ. It’s forgiveness and grace. He is the One who saves us from all of our sins. 

Even though Christians continue to sin we have forgiveness, mercy, and grace. And it is a result of the obedience and compassion of Jesus. We won’t fully comprehend what salvation means until we are in the presence of Almighty God. It will be at that time that we fully understand the love of God and the will of God.

God wants the best for you. He wants you to prosper and succeed in this life, but it must be according to His will. God reveals His will to us through His Word. We will never know what we must do until we hear His voice. 

God’s Word speaks to us and gives us wisdom to choose what is right. We will never know His will for our life until we submit and obey His commands. Have you ever found it difficult to know what God’s will is for your life?  The answer lies in the fact of hearing and doing His Word. If we only hear His Word and not act upon it we are simply rejecting His great blessings. But when we hear and do His Word we are blessed.

Pray

Lord, You are my Savior and I submit to You and follow Your direction. Speak truth into me today. Give me wisdom to choose what is right.

Truth And Grace Are Eternal

Encouragement

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:8‬

Where do you find your security? Maybe it’s in your marriage, a career, good health, or even a comfortable lifestyle. 

But what would happen if your “security blanket” disappeared overnight?  What if you lost your job?  What if your spouse walked out on you?  Or a health issue surfaced or you’re diagnosed with a terrible disease?  Let’s pray these never happen!

There will be times in our life when we’re jolted out of our false security. This is usually when panic sets in because we realize how vulnerable we really are. God has a way of showing us that we need Him and His Word instead of trusting in ourselves, others, or something else. 

Our response to our troubles may sound like, “God, why have you forsaken me?”  “How am I going to make it?”  “How much longer, God?”  

Have you been there before?  Maybe your there right now.

Here is the truth: Everything on this earth is temporary, but the things of God stand forever. 

We watch the grass turn green and the flowers bloom. These are the seasons when everything is going smooth and we start to believe that we don’t need God. But then the grass dries up and petals fall off leaving a gloomy landscape. 

The promise that God gives us is that His Word stands forever. The things of God are permanent and they will last forever. 

Do you have any areas of your life where you are struggling? Those are the areas where God wants to show you His love and grace He wants you to trust in Him 

Pray

Lord, show me where I’m trying to be in control and not allowing You to guide me. Help me to not trust in false hope. God, I allow you to come into every area of my life.